Game apparatus



Dec. 10, 1940. J. T. B-ERDNER 2,224,334-

GAME APPARATUS Filed June 22, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l I l I Igo 1 0 N V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYI Dec. 10; 1940. BERDNER 2,224,334

GAME APPARATUS Filed June 22, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR. $75M BY A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT orslcs 2,224,334 GAME APPARATUS John T. Berdner, Burlingame, Application June 22, 1940,

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to game apparatus, and particularly to a game employing oppositely directed streams or jets of fluid such as water under pressure, controlled by opposing players, to propel a playing device over a field or a table toward goal areas thereon.

It is the object of this invention to provide a game apparatus employing jets of water or the like which may be directed by opposing players 'onto a common playing table to effect offensive and defensive play of a movable playing piece toward and away from goals on the table, and to provide a game of this character in which the players are protected from the water, and which will be under control of the players in so far as the actual play goes, yet automatic to the extent that it may be controlled by insertion of a coin to effect continuous streams of water for a predetermined period of time.

Further objects reside in the provision of novel structural features to permit control and observation of the playing piece while it is confeatures which result in simplicity of operation and durability of construction, all as set forth in detail in the following specification, wherein refwhich illustrate one form of the invention.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a game apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional line Ill-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of mechanism illustrated in' Figs. 1 and 2 for returning a ball to the playing field after it has been directed into a goal;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV1V of Fig. 3; v

Fig.5 is a plan view of the game apparatus, with a portion shown in' section taken on line V-V of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view with electric circuits diagrammatically illustrated showing the control mechanism for the game apparatus.

In general, the game of the present invention comprises a table or field with a ball adapted to be propelled between goals arranged at opposite ends thereof by streams of water projected from dirigibly supported pistol-like nozzles disposed at opposite ends of the table, so that opposing players controlling the nozzles may match .their skill and dexterity in a contest in which view of the same taken on jecting upwardly fined within a water-tight enclosure, and in erence is made to the accompanying drawings Calif Serial No. 341,848

the object is to place the ball in the opponents goal.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the game apparatus comprises a generally rectangulartank l0 having a bottom H and side and end walls protherefrom. A drain outlet I2 in the bottom of the tank connects with a T-fltting [3, one outlet of which leads to a drain cock M by means of which water may-be removed from the tank when desired, and the other outlet of which connects with the intake of a pump l5 driven by a motor l6 supported upon one of a pair of cross beams l1 which underlie the tank and extend transversely thereof to lend support and rigidity'to its bottom adjacent the central area. The discharge of the pump l5 connects with a T-fitting [8 which, through a pair of conduits i9, is in fluid communication with flexible hoses 20, each of which connects with one of a pair of pistol-like nozzles 2! mounted in opposed relation in the end walls of the tank 10 by means of ball and. socket joints 22.

The dirigible mounting of the nozzles 2| afforded by the joints 22 makes it possible for opposing players handle grip portions disposed exteriorly of the tank l0 and to cause streams of water directed through the nozzles under pressure of the pump I5 to play on a table 23 upon which a ball or similar playing piece is disposed. The table 23 is supported within the tank H1 in the manner of a false bottom, spaced from the bottom H of the tank a sufficient distance to permit an adequate water supply to be retained in the tank below the false bottom. The approximate level of the water in the tank is indicated by the broken line 24. The table 23 is preferably perforated and is inclined from both ends of the tank toward the center so that a spherical playing piece disposed thereon will normally gravitate to the central position.

The table is also preferably provided with a plurality of posts 25, which represent defensive players, disposed at spaced intervals throughout its area to present obstacles to the free travel of the'playing piece in either direction. The corners of the tank over the top of the table are preferably built up by barriers indicated at 26, which converge toward goal areas 21 disposed centrally of opposite ends of the tank, the floors of which convergecentrally and are disposed below the level of the table 23 so that the ball, when propelled into either of the goals, will gravitate to a central position therein, where it will remain until it is placed back upon the to grasp the nozzles by the trally pivoted as at 3| its opposite end bent age at this point, in the. event that the game is tilted or lifted in moving it from one place to another, a seal is provided in the form of an The apparatus is preferably supported on legs such as shown at 38 which may be secured as his opponent views the playing table. splashing against the inside of the panel will temporarily impair a players view, and through this arrangement of the panels with relation to the nozzles, further interest and excitement is added to the game in what may be considered a defensive play.

Between centrally dlspOSed horizontal portion which,

normally closed by a plug 48 through which wa ter may be supplied to the tank I 0. This area iscovered by a removable top 49 which permits access to the light and plug.

The invention contemplates the use of the game apparatus described herein for profit, and it is with this end in view that coin controlled upon insertion of a coin the water in the bottom of the tank ID will be withdrawn therefrom and projected from the nozzles for the play of.-the

main source of supply within the tank. The

structure for eifecting this control is diagram-, matically illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein a coin released plunger is illustrated at 50 and a time switch controlled thereby is illustrated at 5|. This plunger and switch are both of conventional design, and, as any suitable mechanism of this present invention.

The outer end. of the plunger 50 projects outwardly through the apron 4| in a convenient position, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and the inner is connected by a link 52 with an operating lever 53 of the time switch, and by a link 54 with an operating lever 55 of a conventional mercury switch 55. As shown in Fig. 6, amain circuit which includes the conductors 51 constantly energizes the lamp 4'! which illuminates the interior of the tank, and also energizes the motor "5 under control of the time switch 5| and the mercury switch 56. Themercury switch 56 is normally closed as indicated in- Fig. 6, and the time switch is normally open. to break the circuit to the motor I6. Upon insertion of a coil in the This same movement of the plunger, however, effects rocking of the mercury switch 56 through the link 54 and lever 55 to open this switch and thus prevent completion Through the structure described above, any persons desiring to play the game may, upon insertion of a coin and depression of the plunger 50, cause jets of water to be pumped through the nozzles 2| for a time sufficient to afford them an opportunity to indulge in an interesting and exciting game.

The construction of the game apparatus is such that players and bystanders will have a clear view of the play without danger of becoming wet by the jets of water used for the play, and the players may return the ball to the table immediately after each goal has been made so that little of the playing time allowed is consumed in this operation.

While some features of the invention have been described in more or less detail for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited by this description, but is limited only by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a tank adapt- 'ed to contain a supply of water, a false bottom overlying a normal water level to provide a play-- ing surface within said tank, dirigibly supported nozzles in opposed positions over said playing surface, and means for pumping continuous streams of water from said supply through said nozzles whereby said streams may be directed toward a playing piece movable over said surface.

2. A game apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a false bottom overlying a normal water level to provide a playing surface within said tank and perforated to permit water directed against the false bottom to drain therethrough, dirigibly supported nozzles in opposed positions over said playing surface, and means for pumping continuous streams of water from said supply through said nozzles whereby said streams may be directed toward a playing piece movable over said surface.

3. A game apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a perforated false bottom overlying a normal water level within said tank, a playing surface thereon, depressed goal areas at opposite ends of said playing surface, means for directing jets of water against a playing piece movable over said surface, and means operable from the exterior of the tank for ejecting the playing piece from said goal areas.

4. A game apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a perforated false bottom overlying a normal water level within said tank, a playing surface thereon, depressed goal areas at opposite ends of said playing surface, means for directing jets of water against a playing piece movable over said surface, and means operable from the exterior of the tank for ejecting the playing piece from said goal areas, said playing surface being inclined toward a central area to cause the playing piece normally to rest approximately equidistant from nozzles disposed at its opposite ends.

5. A game apparatus comprising a tank adapted to'contain a supply of water, a false bottom overlying a normal Water level in said. tank to provide a playing surface, nozzles dirigibly supported over opposite ends of said playing surface, means to supply liquid under pressure to said nozzles to provide jets for moving the playing pieces over said surface, and a liquid-tight top over said tank including transparent panels through which the playing surface may be observed.

6. A game apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a false bottom overlying a normal water level in said tank to provide a playing surface, nozzles dirigibly supported over opposite ends of said playing surface, means to supply liquid under pressure to said nozzles to provide jets for moving the playing pieces over said surface, and a liquid-tight top over said tank including transparent panels through which the playing surface may be observed, said panels being inclined at angles to insure ready drainage of liquids from inside surfaces, and being disposed within convenient range of jets of liquid from said nozzles.

'7. A game apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a false bottom overlying a normal water level to provide a playing surface within said tank, dirigibly supported nozzles in opposed positions over said playing surface, means for pumping continuous. streams of Water from said supply through said nozzles whereby said streams may be directed toward a playing piece movable over said surface, and coin controlled means for effecting operation of the pumping means for a predetermined time period.

8. A game apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a perforated false bottom overlying a normal water level within said tank, a playing surface thereon, a goal area on said playing surface, means for directing a jet of fluid against a playing piece movable over said surface, and means operable from the exterior of the tank for replacing the playing piece on the playing surface after it has entered said goal area.

JOHN T. BERDNER. 

